What can you find in this week's Isthmus? Highlights from the latest issue follow:
- Giving: Jay Rath tours Madison's historic places of worship and outlines what many downtown churches have planned for the holidays; Rath takes a closer look at the folks who sell Street Pulse newspaper; Julia Burke pairs cheeses with beer and wine for all manner of holiday happenings; Sari Judge shops for presents that can be used and consumed; Linda Falkenstein picks the best of the season's holly jolly television specials; Mrs. Gift answers your seasonal dilemmas; plus, holiday calendar for local events.
- Noah Phillips explores the hectic life of a teaching assistant at UW-Madison.
- Joe Tarr reports on cash incentives offered for Monona Terrace Convention bookings.
- Joe Tarr reports on new zoning regulations that allow "accessory dwelling units."
- Catherine Capellaro reports on arts education in Madison schools.
- Ruth Conniff calls out state Republicans for ramming through antidemocratic bills.
- Joe Tarr profiles Gus Paras, a Greek immigrant who fell in love with Madison and recently bought the Orpheum.
- Gwen Rice enjoys the weirdness of Mercury Players Theatre's Thornton Wilder & Companions, which presents works by the Madison-born playwright alongside plays by local writers.
- Laura Jones delves into Echolocations, a new book featuring poems about Madison by local writers, including the city's Poets Laureate.
- John W. Barker praises Augustin Hadelich's performance of Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole with the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
- Jessica Steinhoff chats with local musician Golden Donna, who creates shadowy soundscapes on analog synthesizers.
- Ben Munson discusses rapper Lupe Fiasco's evolution over the last year, and his tour to preview the forthcoming album Tetsuo & Youth.
- Dean Robbins tags along with a teenager searching for her sperm-donor father in MTV's Generation Cryo.
- MaryAnn Johanson says The Hunger Games: Catching Fire asks challenging questions about the nature of heroism.
- Marjorie Baumgarten assesses Dallas Buyers Club, about a jerk who changes for the better after receiving an AIDS diagnosis in the '80s.
- Mike Seidel guest-hosts this tour of fab outlier fish fries.
- Catherine Capellaro outlines Dane County's forward-looking shelters for pets involved in domestic abuse situations.
- Tell All hears from a UW student defending the profane Camp Randall chant.
- Dan Seiter cheers on Badger men's basketball.
